Can crusher



June 13, 1939. I N 2,161,931

' CAN'CRUSHER Filed May 14, 1938 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l A fiomeya Inventor June 13, 1939. P. M. PATTISON,

CAN CRUSHER Filed May 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In$enior Attorney;

Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE can oncsnnn. Paul M. Pattison, New castle, Pa. Application May 14, 1938, Serial No. 208,076 '3 Claims. (01. 153 10) The present invention relates generally to new and useful .improvements in. presses and has for its primary object to provide novel means, manually operable, through the medium of which cans being salvaged for the metal .therein may be ex- 7 g j a foot lever for operating. the movable,jaw.l2. .The foot lever l4 comprises a pair of metallic.

peditiously crushed or demolished.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a can crusher of the aforementionedcharacter which will be comparatively simple in onstruction,,strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost. 1

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become ap'-. l5 parent from a study of the followingspeciflcation,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

' Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a. view in rear elevation thereof.

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of the device. Y Figure 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

U'-shaped frame providing rear legs, 6. The

4 upper end portions of the legs 2 and 6 cross and are connected, as at 1. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1 f the drawings, the inclination of the legs 6 is considerably greater than that of the legs 2. It will-also be noted that the bight 5 portion 'of the susbtantially U-shaped frame 5 is adapted to rest on the ground or other supportirig surface on which'the stand I may be mounted. Braces dextend between the lower portions of the legs 2 and 6. Also, a transverse brace 9 50 connects the lower end portions of the legs 2.

Extending between the upper end portions of the legs 6 is a transverse shaft Ill.- The reference numeral Pdesignates a pair of arms which are mounted for swinging movement in'a vertical 55 plane onthe shaft l0.- Mounted on the arms II The stand is a; plate constituting a movable jaw H which is adapted-for coaction with the stationary jaw 4. A can I3 is indicated in broken lines between the jaws 4 and I2 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The reference numeral l4 designates generally 5 bars l5 having one end portion rigidly secured to the arms II in anysuitablemanner. Extending. between the other end portions ofthe bars l6 I5 is a foot piece l6. In operatiohfthebars l5 are adapted to rock on the shaft ID. A coil spring 11 has one end connected to one of the bars I5 will be readily apparent from and its other end connected to the adjacent leg 2 forswinging the foot lever l4 upwardly in a manner to open-the jaw l2. a I It is-thought that the operation of the devicea consideration of the foregoing. Thejaw I2 is normally maintained in substantially the position shown to advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawings by the spring l1. It willbe observed that the construction and arrangement is such that the jaws 4 and I2 are inclined in a manner to-conveniently receive and support different sizes of cans therebetween. 25 Now, to crush the can after it has been inserted between the jaws, the operator places his foot on the member l6 and then throws his weight on the lever l4, thus swinging the jaw l2 toward the stationary jaw4 for crushing or demolishing the can therebetween. When the lever I4 is re leased said lever is returned to raised position by the spring l1, thus swinging the jaw l2 toopen I position away from the stationary jaw 4. The

thoroughly flattened can may then drop by graility from between the jaws and the deviceis ready to receive the next can. If desired, a plurality of cans may-be placed between thejaws -to be crushed simultaneously. It is believed that the many advantages of a 40 can crusher constructed in accordance with the present-invention 'will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the-device is as illustrated and described, it is to be under stood thatchanges in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scopeofthe invention as-claimed.

What is claimed is: l 1. A can crusher comprising a stand including Pairs of crossed, connected legs, a stationary jaw mounted on the upper endportions of one of the pairs of legs, a pair of arms mounted for swinging movement on the upper end portions of the I other pair of legs, a jaw mountedv on said arms for crushing a can therebetween, and a foot lever operatively connected to the movable jaw' for 7 including a pair of inclined front legs, a brace actuating same, said foot lever including a pair' of bars having one end portion fixed to the arms, a foot piece extending between the other end portions of the bars, and a spring connected to one of said bars for returning the movable jaw to open position. i

3. A can crusher comprising a metallic stand connecting the lower end portions of said front legs, an inclined stationary Jaw mounted on the upper end portions of the front legs, the stand further including a substantially U-shaped frame providing a pair of inclined rear legs, the bight portion of said frame being adapted to rest on a supporting surface, the upper portions of the rear legs crossing the 'frontlegs and being con-' nected thereto, the degree or inclination of said rear legs being materially greater than that of the front legs, said front legs being higher than said rear legs, braces connecting the lower por-' tions of the frontand rear legs a shaft extending between the upper end portions of the rear legs, a pair of arms mounted for swing-ing movement on said shaft, a'jaw mounted on said arms and cooperable with the stationary jaw forcrushing -a can therebetween, a foot lever for actu: ating the movable jaw, said foot lever including a pair of metallic bars having one end portion.

fixed to the arms, said bars being engagedon the shaft, a foot pi'ece connecting the other end portions of the bars, and a spring having one endconnected to one of the front legs and its other end connected to one of the bars for returning the movable jaw to open position. PAUL-M. PATTISON. 

